Mpumalanga

Mpumalanga holds many drawcards for tourists, with its combination of magnificent scenery, a variety of fauna and flora, a rich history, and a wealth of fascinating tribal legends brought about from the saga of the 1870s gold rush era. With a surface area of only 76 495 square kilometres, it is the second-smallest province, yet has the fourth-largest economy in SA. The province offers a plethora of cultural heritage, from the Ndebele beadwork and painted houses in the north-west to the crafts of the lowveld, sharing an insight into the history, lives and passions of the local population.

Attractions range from game-viewing and bird-watching to scenic drives across the changing landscape of the Drakensberg escarpment. For history buffs – there are many historical sites and villages, old wagon routes and monuments to whet your appetite.

The dramatic Mpumalanga Lowveld and escarpment not only offers visitors mountains and passes, valleys, rivers, waterfalls and forests but is also Big five country. With dozens of sanctuaries, national parks and game reserves such as the world-renowned Kruger National Park – wildlife and bird species are abundant here.

The province is a summer-rainfall area, with a towering escarpment that creates two different weather regions. The Highveld region offers cold frosty winters, while the Lowveld region has mild winters and a subtropical climate.

Thick mist is typical during the hot, humid summers, and snowfall sometimes occurs on the higher ground.

Temperatures vary according to the elevation of the region, ranging from a mean of 16 °C in the Highveld to a mean of 23 °C in the subtropical Lowveld, while precipitation generally increases from West to East.

Accommodation options mainly revolve around the provinces’ different game lodges. From self-catering options, bushveld B&Bs, to luxury camping, a truly magical experience awaits those who visit this South African destination. Our Mpumalanga accommodation specials are listed below.

The two different climates created by the escarpment play host to a transitional zone between a grassland area and savanna biome, featuring grassland, savanna parkland, and beautiful acacia trees.

Bordered by Mozambique and Swaziland to the east and Gauteng to the west, it is situated mainly on the high plateau grasslands of the Middleveld, with wonders like Wakkerstroom, one of the prime birding sites in Southern Africa, that’s home to 29 bird species that are either endemic or near endemic to the region.